Again Dragut took him by the Jhoulder, and thrust a livid, furious
face within a hand's breadth of Prosperous. "We have ways to make
men talk."
Now Prospero laughed. "They are the surest ways to make me
dumb. Bah, Dragut! I have accounted you both wise and generous;
and you are neither. You disappoint me. You covet my woman/*
he continued. "Has the Prophet no law against it ? And even if he
had not, is she worth more than ail your fleet to you ?"
Dragut loosed his grip of Prosperous shoulder and turned away.
With clenched hands ho strode the length of the cabin and back,
"What else do you ask for this service you pretend that you can
render?"
"The life and liberty of the poor knaves that were with me when
Sinan captured us."
"That is naught. You may have them. Now! Your plan ?"
"Wait, Wait. I am not yet at the end of my requirements.
You'll restore my ducats. So far I have but asked for what is rightly
mine. You will add a vessel in which we may resume the voyage you
interrupted. I will accept a galley of six-and-twenty oars, suitably
armed and equipped, and furnishedwith a proper complement of slaves.'*
"May Allah blot thee out! And is that all ?'*
"This galley you shall place at my disposal as soon as you are
satisfied that I can do as I promise. And that will be today. I shall
take up my quarters aboard her together with my wife, my treasure
and my knaves." To meet the suspicion darkening Dragut's coun-
tenance, he added: "You may leave aboard what troops you please, to
guard against any treachery you may fear. That is all, Dragut, for a
greater service than any man has done you since you took to following
the sea."
"Your plan ?" barked Dragut.
"To open a way out of this trap for you.**
"Yes,yes. Y'Allah! Will you drive me mad? Buthow? How?"
"You have not said that you agree my terms."
"I agree them. Yes. May Allah strike thee dead ! Do you need
an oath ? Show me the way hence, so that I may be spared to wield the
scimitar against the foes of Islam and increase the glory of the Prophet's
holy law, and I swear to you upon Alcoran and by the Beard of
Mahomet that I will faithfully keep those terms. Is that enough ?"
"It is enough," said Prospero. For Dragut was known to be as
faithful to his word as any Christian knight.
"The praise to Him! Now let me hear what you would da"
"Ride with me to the strip of land that joins Djerba to Syrtis, and I
will show you."
The hope faded from Dragut's expectant glance. "If you think
there is an issue that way, you are in a fool's dream."
"I am in no fool's dream. I have surveyed the place and I have
well considered. Come with me, and I will show you where the issue
lies*
Chapfallen, Dragut continued to stare at him, as if again suspicious
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